Chapter 003: Leaving Home to Learn a Trade

The man had white hair and beard, yet his skin was rosy and radiant. Two long longevity brows hung down, and he was of medium build, slightly plump, with a belly as thick as a barrel that protruded slightly. This old man was dressed in a light blue robe that seemed somewhat ostentatious, giving him an air of ethereal grace. He bent down to help the fainted Wenzi Fu up, and when he touched his arm, he couldn't help but let out a soft "oh." Immediately, he lost that ethereal demeanor and, in a fit of impatience, tore Wenzi Fu's clothes into shreds, reaching out to grope and grab at him.

"Waste! Waste! Useless waste!" When the family learned that Wen Zifu was unable to practice talismans, Wen Xinghao had also been ridiculed by family members. Fortunately, the son born to the concubine was an undeniable genius, which helped restore some status for the family. Now, seeing his worthless son appear before him, Wen Xinghao was even more furious, cursing vehemently while continuously kicking and beating Wen Zifu.

Wen Mu still pleaded desperately, but Wen Xinghao remained unmoved. He reached out and snatched the engagement document from his wife's hand, sneering, "Do you think this thing is of any use? Let me tell you honestly, the old man has bribed the officials and reported that the waste has passed away. Now, this document is nothing but a piece of paper!"

My son is ambitious and unyielding, which brings joy to my heart. However, since you are unable to practice talismans, what can you possibly learn even if you visit a renowned master? Although the mother does not wish for her son to suffer, she is even less willing to be separated from him

Sigh, what a pity this is. Though the will is strong, the body is too weak. What spells can one learn? Well, encountering an old man like me is a stroke of luck for you. Let me help you this once!" Just as Wen Zifu fainted, the aged voice sighed, and suddenly, another voice appeared beside Wen Zifu.

After hearing her son's words, Wen's mother could not think of any other way to keep him by her side. After some contemplation, she ultimately agreed to Wen Zifu's idea of going out to seek a renowned teacher. Three days later, a servant of the Wen family casually mentioned the disappearance of the useless young master. Unfortunately, the useless one was ultimately of no concern to anyone, and the Wen family mobilized their resources to feign a search for two days before giving up.

Seeing his wife still tightly clutching his leg and refusing to let go, Wen Xinghao was filled with rage. Although his strength was mediocre, he was nonetheless a practitioner, and he still possessed some temperament typical of cultivators. He relentlessly struck his mother with punches and kicks without pause.

Due to frequent humiliation from the maids and servants, Wen Xinghao would come to beat and scold the mother and son every few days. Therefore, they had prepared some medicinal wine for bruises in their residence. Wen's mother gently removed her son's outer garment, dipped some medicinal wine, and applied it to his body. Upon seeing the numerous purple and blue bruises covering him, the tears that she had just managed to hold back began to fall uncontrollably.

"May I have the honor of meeting you, esteemed senior?" Knowing that he had encountered a remarkable figure, Wen Zifu felt a surge of joy in his heart. He shouted several times towards the sea, yet received no response. With the opportunity right before him, how could Wen Zifu bear to let it slip away easily? He straightened his clothes and declared loudly, "Please accept me as your disciple, esteemed senior; I would be eternally grateful!" With that, he knelt straight on the beach.

Mother, I wish to go out and visit a renowned master, hoping to learn some methods of cultivation, so that I can take you out later and spare us from this kind of torment. After much contemplation, I finally shared this long-held thought with you. In the past, with Li Caiping's support, the urgency for me to seek a master and learn skills was not so pressing; I only hoped that when I grew a bit older and could earn some money, we could live together in reliance on each other. Now that Li Caiping and Wen Zixing have become engaged, I must reconsider my plans; otherwise, with Wen Xinhao's volatile temperament, he might come to beat us every few days, and we would suffer the consequences.

Hearing the sound of Wen Xinghao beating his mother from outside, Wen Zifu could no longer care about eavesdropping on the couple's conversation. With a loud "bang," he burst open the door and rushed in front of his mother, fiercely protecting her body.

Wenzi seemed as if nothing had happened, gently lifting his mother's arm, and said: "Mother, let us go back. If Father returns and gets angry, it will surely lead to another round of beating."

"How can you do this? Zixing is your son; is Zifu not your son as well? He is unable to cultivate, and you have taken away his right to inherit. I have nothing more to say, but why must you also deny Zifu's marriage?" Wenmu pleaded tearfully, "I beg you, have some pity on us mother and son!"

"I, an old man, have no interest in listening. If you wish to kneel, then kneel there until you die." The old voice said indifferently.

The mother, deeply fearful that her son would be beaten again, quickly nodded and said, "What my son means is that we should go back first." As she spoke, she and her son supported each other and slowly made their way back to the dilapidated house where they lived.

Wenzi Fu has always lived a life of hunger in the Wen family. Now, at the age of fourteen, he is as frail as a child of about ten, and his physical strength is extremely poor. The East Sea coast is only about one hundred miles from Luojiang City, yet it took him a full day and night to walk this distance

Waste! Useless waste! Wen Xinghao continued to punch and kick, yet Wen Zifu, who had endured such beatings from his father not just once or twice, did not utter a single sound. He merely glared coldly at Wen Xinghao's face, wanting to engrave the image of that face deeply in his heart

Wen Xinghao pulled his wife into his room, turned around, and closed the door coldly, saying: "If you continue to make a scene, do not blame me for disregarding our marital bond." His tone was filled with disgust, as if the woman before him was not his wife, but a sworn enemy.

Hearing these words, Wen Zifu was not disheartened; he remained kneeling upright, enduring the ebb and flow of the tides, the rise and set of the sun. He knelt like this for two days and two nights without moving an inch. Unfortunately, he was born weak, and having suffered greatly in the Wen family, after two days of fasting and kneeling, his body could no longer withstand it. By the time the sun rose on the third day, Wen Zifu finally could not hold on any longer and fainted on the beach

How can you do this? Isn't Zifu still alive and well? How can you bear to curse him to die young?" Wenmu clung to her husband's leg, lamenting repeatedly.

"I do not take on disciples, especially not someone like you who harbors such great resentment. If I were to teach you my skills, you would only bring disaster upon the world. Do not come to me! It would be futile to seek my help!" said the aged voice

"Stop hitting, stop hitting, please don't hit anymore! Wuwuwu..." The mother cried as she shielded her son beneath her, listening to the thuds of her husband's fists and feet striking her son, feeling her heart ache as if it were being twisted.

"My son, how badly are you hurt? That scoundrel Wen Xinghao, why did he strike you so ruthlessly!" Mother Wen, with her son's support, managed to rise, disregarding her own injuries. She reached out to lift her son's clothing, revealing numerous bruises on his frail body. Apart from his head, there was hardly a spot on him that was uninjured. Seeing her beloved son so brutally beaten by her husband, Mother Wen's tears streamed down uncontrollably. "It's all my fault for being useless. If I had any ability, my son would not have to endure such abuse. I am a useless mother!" Mother Wen, heartbroken, embraced her son tightly, her tears flowing freely.

In the extreme eastern part of the world, not far from Luojiang City, on the shores of the East China Sea, a frail young man dressed in a blue shirt was struggling to walk step by step on the sandy beach. This person was Wen Zifu, who had escaped from the Wen family with the intention of seeking out a renowned master. After fleeing from the Wen family, he had never traveled far and could not distinguish the cardinal directions, so he randomly chose a direction and began to walk. It seemed that a voice in his subconscious was telling him that no matter which direction he walked, as long as he persisted, he would eventually return to his original place.

I do not have such a worthless son. Not to mention that he cannot cultivate; even if he could, as long as he is not as talented as Zixing, he must make way for Zixing! Wen Xinghao has an average talent, and now in his thirties, he has only reached the third stage of the yellow level. With his talented son poised to inherit the Wen family's legacy, he naturally will not give up this great opportunity

"You little rascal, what great resentment you have!" An old voice suddenly echoed from the sea. Thinking he had encountered a malevolent spirit, Wenzi cautiously placed his hands in front of his chest and began to look around. "No need to search, I am still quite far from you!" the old voice said.

"Dare to look again! I will ruin your eyes, you worthless piece of trash!" For some reason, Wen Xinghao felt a chill from Wen Zifu's gaze, and although he cursed under his breath, he did not dare to act more excessively. Exhausted from the beating, Wen Xinghao finally stopped, coldly gazing at the mother and child lying on the ground in pain, and said: "Considering we were once a couple, I will let you go today. If you dare to cause trouble again in the future, do not blame me for being ruthless!" With that, he turned and slammed the door as he left. Exhausted from the beating, Wen Xinghao finally stopped, coldly gazing at the mother and child lying on the ground in pain, and said: "Considering we were once a couple, I will let you go today. If you dare to cause trouble again in the future, do not blame me for being ruthless!" With that, he turned and slammed the door as he left.

"Mother, are you alright?" Wen Zi struggled to rise, extending his hand to help his mother up. Having endured most of Wen Xinghao's punches and kicks, he now felt a pervasive ache throughout his body, as if every bone were about to shatter. Yet, he gritted his teeth and held on, not uttering a single cry of pain

Wen family, I am determined to master the ultimate skills and make you pay the price! Wen Xinghao, you dog, if I return and my mother suffers any misfortune, I will ensure that you live a life worse than death!" Wen Zifu clenched his fists, cursing the members of the Wen family and his own father repeatedly

"Get lost!" Wen Xinghao, impatient from his wife's crying, kicked her and angrily said, "A useless talisman that cannot be used for rest, what benefit does it have? It only wastes the resources of the Wen family. If it weren't for the fact that he has the blood of the Wen family in him, I would have kicked him out of the house long ago. Even if he starved to death on the street or was eaten by wild dogs, he would deserve it!"

Lying on the bed while receiving the medicinal liquor application from his mother, Wenzi did not notice the expression on her face and said: "Since the transmission of the talismanic teachings by Zhang Tianshi has lasted for thousands of years, there are now countless talismanic techniques in the world. Is it true that I cannot practice the Lei family's spiritual spells? Can I not practice the four elements of fire, wind, water, and earth? Furthermore, there are techniques for strengthening soldiers, divine strikes; exorcising demons, controlling ghosts; and healing through talismans. There are so many methods to cultivate in the world, am I truly so useless that I cannot master even one?"

Please, esteemed senior, accept me as your disciple. My heart is filled with grievances, but there are reasons behind them. I humbly request an audience with you, and I will certainly explain everything in detail.